The present invention relates to produce recognition system and more specifically to a produce recognition system including a produce shape data collector.
Bar code readers are well known for their usefulness in retail checkout and inventory control. Bar code readers are capable of identifying and recording most items during a typical transaction since most items are labeled with bar codes.
Items which are typically not identified and recorded by a bar code reader are produce items, since produce items are typically not labeled with bar codes. Bar code readers may include a scale for weighing produce items to assist in determining the price of such items. But identification of produce items is still a task for the checkout operator, who must identify a produce item and then manually enter an item identification code. Operators must visually examine produce for a variety of indicators, such as shape, color, and texture, and compare these indicators to pictures of produce items. But operator identification methods are slow, inefficient, and prone to error on the order of fifteen percent.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a produce recognition system which can minimize operator involvement in produce identification and entry into a transaction. It would be desirable to provide as part of that produce recognition system a produce shape data collector which collects shape information for use in identifying the produce item.